Carbureting and oil separating apparatus.



No. 866,525. PATENTED'SEPT. 17, 1907. J. E. SEBLEY & F. A. sum.- GARBURBTING AND 01L SBPARATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION IILED JUNE 12. 1906.

THE NORRIS Pb was co., wAsumc'roN, n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. SEELEY AND FRANK A. SYLVA, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedsept. 17, 1907,

Application filed June 12, 1906. Serial No. 321,409.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMEs E. SEELEY and FRANK A. SYLVA, citizens of the United States, both residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Carbureting and Oil-Separating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to the separation of heavy mineral oil, such as California crude oil, into lighter and heavier constituents and to the production from the lighter constituents of a mixture suitable for use in internal combustion engines or for other purposes.

The main object of the present invention is to provide means for effectively breaking up the oil and exposing the same to the vaporizing air.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for this purpose which will be self operative, that is to say, will not require the application of external power.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the separation in the above described manner of oil so heavy or thick that it cannot be effectually vaporized at ordinary temperatures.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus showing somewhat diagrammatically the connection thereof to a heating means. Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the deflecting and oil breaking elements.

The carbureter comprises a case or cylindrical shell 1 having an oil and air inlet 2 at its upper end and an oil, vapor and air outlet 3 preferably at its lower end, and a plurality of movable deflectors 4, 5, mounted to rotate within the case and extending between the successive fixed deflectors. Said movable deflectors are rotatably mounted on a shaft 6 mounted at its upper and lower ends in screw caps 7, 8, at the upper and lower ends of the case. Said caps 7, 8, have lugs or arms 9 to support the case. The case is substantially air tight except for the inlet and outlet means 2, 3. Each deflector 4, 5, may consist of a ring or sleeve 10, rotatably mounted on the shaft 6, a flange or disk 11 extending outwardly from the said ring and having slots 12, and blades or vanes 13 extending obliquely downward from said disk. The deflectors are supported in position on the shaft by collars 14 secured to the shaft by set screws 15, said collars spacing the deflectors apart. Annular deflectors 16 extend in from the casing 1, spaced by rings 30. These deflector rings 16 extend inwardly and downwardly and are mounted in fixed position in the case 1. I he rotatable deflectors 4, 5 extend between the successive fixed deflector rings 16 so that said rings concentrate the flow of air through the case onto the rotary deflectors and also direct the oil flowing down through the case onto the deflectors, and return to the deflectors any oil which is spattered against the walls of the case.

The blades, vanes or wings 13, on the movable deflectors constitute turbine elements for rotation of the deflectors by the passage of air longitudinally through the case. To enable the blades to be effective in this manner they are inclined both to the longitudinal axis and to the radial direction, and the effect of the air in rotating each turbine device is accompanied by a corresponding backward vortical movement imparted thereby to the air. To break up or arrest this vertical movement the alternate movable deflectors 4, 5 have their turbine blades directed oppositely so that the action of the air thereon tends to rotate the deflectors in opposite directions.

The air and oil inlet pipe 2 is provided with a manual valve 17 controlling the supply of air from any suitable source, for example, the atmosphere. The oil supply pipe 18 communicates with the oil inlet pipe 2, and is provided with a manual valve 19, and is connected to a source of oil supply, preferably, as hereinafter set forth. The air, vapor and oil outlet pipe 3, is connected to the lower end of the carbureter casing and to a settling chamber 20, which is connected in, its upper part with an eduction or suction pipe 21, and in its lower part with a drainage pipe 22 provided with a check valve 23. The suction pipe 21 is connected to suitable means for causing a suction or outward draft therethrough to draw air from the inlet tube through the carbureter case and pipe 3 into the settling chamber and thence out through said suction pipe 21. For this purpose said suction pipe may be connected to the intake or admission valve means 24, of a gas engine or an internal combustion engine, the cylinder of which is indicated at 25, so that the suction stroke of the engine will draw air through the carburetersystem, as hereinafter set forth.

The invention being particularly applicable to use with heavy oil, for example, California crude oil which is often extremely viscous at ordinary temperatures, it is sometimes desirable to heat the oil preliminary to its passage into the carbureter. For this purpose means are applied to heat the oil as it passes to the carbureter, for example, when the product of the carbureter is used for operating an internal combustion engine the heat of said engine may be utilized in warming the oil. Thus at 28 is shown a jacket around the engine cylinder, the jacket space communicating with the oil supply pipe 18 aforesaid leading to the carbureter and with an oil inlet pipe 29 communicating with any suitable source of oil supply.

The operation is as follows:-Valves 17 and 19 being opened sufliciently to give the desired supply of air and oil and the engine being in operation, air is drawn in at each impulse from the inlet 2, into the casing 1, pipe 3, settling chamber 20, and pipe 21 to the intake ol the engine.l n its passage through the case 1, the air acts on the turbine elements 4, 5, to rotate the same, an d the air passing from each deflector turbine element being acted on by the succeeding deflector turbine so as to arrest its rotary movement and deliver it to the next turbine element in the proper direction to cause relative effect thereon. These turbine elements also act as deflectors the oil passing down into the case with the air, being received on the first member l, and owing to the rapid rotation thereof being thrown toward the outer edge and discharged therei'rom partly by centrifugal iorce, partly by gravity and partly by the entraining effect or [riction of the air current passing between the said members and the case. As the oil is discharged from each movable deflector it is returned inwardly by the next lower deflector ring 16.

An important function of the movable deflectors or turbine elements 4, 5, is that they insure the outward movement oi the oil thereon so as to bring it to the circumference and enable the air current to take full effect thereon. By the series of operations 011 the current of air and oil passing between the successive movable deflectors, the oil is broken up and iully exposed to the current of air so that the latter can take up therefrom a large proportion of vapor, and the mixture so formed passes through the pipe 3 into the settling chamber 20 where the unvaporized or heavier constituents settle and collect in the bottom thereof. When a suiiicient weight of such heavier constituent has collected in such settling chamber, it will depress and open the check valve 23, allowing the heavier oil to drain away. The mixture of air and lighter oil constituents flows through the pipe 21 to the internal combustion engine, or to other means for utilization thereof. In case the oil is sufliciently heavy to require it, it passes through the heating means above referred to; for example, the cooling jacket of the internal combustion engine, so that it is delivered to the carbureter at such temperatures that it does not interfere with the rotation of the turbine elements of the deflector and is in condition to be readily disintegrated by the motion of the deflectors and ot the air and to vaporize its lighter constituents.

What we claim is:-

1. A carburetor comprising a case. means for supplying oil thereto means for passing a current ot' :lll' lhrouuh the case. a series of deflector rings in fixed posilion in the case. and a plurality oi. rotatable deflectors extending between [the fixed deflectors and provided with turbine blades to enable their rotation by the current oi air pdss'illg' through the case.

2. A carburetor comprising a case, moans for supplying oil thereto, means for passing a current of air through the case, a series of deflector rings mounted in lixed position in the case and extending inwardly and downwardly iheie in, and a plurality of deflectors rolai'ubly mounted within the case and extending between the successive iixed rings. and provided with turbine blades to enable their roiuiion by the current of air passing through the case.

.i. A carburetor comprising a case, means for supplying oil thereto, means for passing a current of air llirouu'li the case. a series of inwardly and downwardly extending do flector rings mounted in iixed position within the case, a shaft extending axially in rhe case, a plurality of deflectors rotatably mounted on said shaft. and extending boiween the successive rings. said rotary deflectors consisiing o1 disks having slots. and oblique blades extending beneath said slots.

4. A carburetor comprising a case, means for supplying oil thereto, means for passing a current 01 air through the case, a series of deflector rings in fixed position in the case, and a plurality oi rotatable deflectors extending between the fixed deflee ,)l'S and provided with turbine blades to enable their rotation by the current of air possum through the case. alternate rotatable deflectors ha\ 11; their blades directed oppositely to cause roluiion oi' [he deflectors in opposite direction.

A carburetor comprising a case. means for supplying oil thereto. means for passing a current oi air through ihe case, a series of deflector rings in position in the (wis and a plurality of rotatable derlec )l'S extending between the lixed deflectors and provided with turbine blades to enable their rotation by the current olf air passing throu h the ease, alternate rotatable deflectors having [heir blades directed oppositely to cause rotation of the deflectors in opposite direction, and means for heating the oil supplied to the case.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set: our hands at l'ros Angeles Cal. this 28th day 01' May 100d.

in presence of Au'ruun l. kNlhlI'l, L. W. CooK. 

